I wince every time I see more than a couple inches of snow in the forecast. It’s ironic, considering one of my favorite Bill Bowerman quotes is “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only soft people.”

This is a relatively new qualm of mine. I grew up in Rochester, NY. Since Rochester rarely sees the sun in the winter (and the winter is very long), the snow sticks around much longer. But I never missed a day of running due to snow in Rochester, and the fresh white powder made the otherwise dismal winter landscape a little more pleasing to the eye. I actually enjoyed running on snowy days. So what happened?

As Christmas and New Year’s quickly approach, we runners find ourselves in the middle of the most challenging time of year to train. The stress associated with normal work obligations, family commitments and social events is amplified by seasonal deadlines, holiday celebrations and travel. Adding insult to injury, days are nauseatingly short and the characteristically brutal weather conditions can send even the insanely brave among us scampering for the nearest treadmill.

As a Houston native, I never ran indoors, never ran in pants, and wouldn’t dare be seen in tights. Then again, I had never seen more than three inches of snow. As I ventured into the world and experienced winter training in Washington, DC and Colorado Springs, I realized that my stubborn ways had to change or I would risk injury or illness that could have been easily prevented.